"I just want to protect the guy who's behind me, Ruffins said. That's freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who showed himself to be a valuable asset last Saturday when he passed for 234 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers in his college debut, sparking the Bears to a 34-15 victory at Oregon State. Cal's rebuilt offensive line didn't allow Sagapolutele to be sacked all night, but he did take four hits."
"Considering Cal quarterbacks absorbed 49 sacks a year ago one of the highest totals in the country keeping Sagapolutele upright was an encouraging start for new offensive line coach Famika Anae's group. Pass pro-wise, I thought guys competed really hard for No. 3. He brings that out of his teammates. He's got that factor in him, Anae said. I love him. He's a little brother to me, honestly, Ruffins said. Left guard Jordan Spasojevic-Moko calls him nephew."
"Anae, whose O-line at New Mexico last season led the nation with just five sacks allowed, has put together a starting five out of six transfers and four returning linemen. Sioape Vatikani, with 23 starts for the Bears over the past three seasons, is the right guard opposite Spasojevic-Moko, a native of Australia, who played last season at Charlotte. Leon Bell, a 6-foot-8, 330-pound redshirt junior transfer from Mississippi State, is the right tackle."
Cal prioritizes protecting freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele after his college debut with 234 passing yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers. The rebuilt offensive line kept him from being sacked at Oregon State but he absorbed four hits. Offensive line coach Famika Anae emphasizes pass protection and competition among linemen. The starting five features six transfers and four returnees, including Sioape Vatikani at right guard and Leon Bell at right tackle. Right tackle Braden Miller and center Tyson Ruffins stress personal responsibility for Sagapolutele's safety. Anae's New Mexico O-line allowed just five sacks last season, providing a performance benchmark.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]